May 2017

Cover Story

Tokyo's Envoy Works to PreserveOld Relationship in New World

The astonishing election of Donald Trump triggered a range of reactions from political leaders around the world. Some pulled back, others dug in and some stayed quiet. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plunged right in, wooing the new president to ensure America's commitment to Japan and to develop what Japanese Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae calls a "personal and official" relationship. Read More

Leaner Foreign Policy

Critics: Trump's 'Skinny' BudgetStarves U.S. Diplomacy, Aid

With a refugee crisis at its worst level since World War II and famines threatening millions across the globe, the drastic international affairs budget cuts sought by the Trump administration could lead to more death and misery for people who could have been saved, according to humanitarian and foreign policy organizations. Read More

Iran Votes

Hardliners Fight to Unseat Iran'sModerate President in Critical Election

Iran's presidential election has become a closely watched contest that will render a verdict on Hassan Rouhani's nuclear deal with the West and whether Iran continues on the incumbent's pragmatic, moderate path or reverts to the more conservative roots of its Islamic Revolution. Read More

Ecuador has bucked the leftist political slide in Latin America by electing an ally of populist firebrand Rafael Correa as its new president. Quito's ambassador in D.C. says Lenín Moreno will improve relations with the U.S. while continuing Correa's "citizens' revolution." Read More

The two war-weary countries of Iraq and Syria in the volatile Middle East are not the only ones to have witnessed the wanton and senseless destruction of historic sites and the looting of national treasures. The same is happening in Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya, and has happened over millennia on every continent, usually as a byproduct of war or conquest. Read More

Trump Administration EyesMajor Reshuffling of USAID

With a refugee crisis at its worst level since World War II and famines threatening millions across the globe, human rights groups say the drastic international affairs budget cuts sought by the Trump administration could lead to more death and misery for people who could have been saved. Read More

Pipeline to Controversy

Environmental Protests Spill BeyondDakota Access, Keystone Projects

Even though President Trump expedited approval of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines as part of a larger bid to unravel Barack Obama's environmental legacy, indigenous activists and environmentalists say their fight isn't over, with lawsuits filed to block the Keystone XL pipeline and protests against other pipeline projects. Read More

Films - May 2017

Languages

Czech

Murder in Polna (Parts 1 and 2)

Directed by Viktor Polesny and Vaclav Jester

(Czech Republic, 2016, 180 min.)

This riveting, timely and chilling historical drama explores the Hilsner affair, a criminal investigation that veered dangerously off course due to simmering anti-Semitism in 1899 Czechoslovakia (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sat., May 20, 12:15 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Tue., May 23, 6:30 p.m.

Danish

The Commune

(Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands, 2017, 111 min.)

Personal desires, solidarity and tolerance clash in a Danish commune in the 1970s.

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., May 26

Dutch

Moos

Directed by Job Gosschalk

(Netherlands, 2016, 91 min.)

In this charming, Amsterdam-ready comedy, Moos is young girl who's put her life on hold long enough—she's finally ready to pursue her dream of going to acting school. Not actually having been accepted is only a minor hiccup, and she won't let that, her offbeat family or a distracting newfound crush get in the way (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Thu., May 18, 6:30 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sat., May 20, 8:45 p.m.

English

Angkor Awakens: A Portrait of Cambodia

Directed by Robert H. Lieberman

(U.S./Cambodia/France, 2017, 90 min.)

This eye-opening documentary is a snapshot of a nation poised at a political and cultural tipping point. Viewing the present through the lens of the country's tangled history, the film follows the people of Cambodia as they fight to recover their culture and history in the wake of the Khmer Rouge genocide (1975-1979).

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., May 5

Baj Ej: The Hidden Jews of Ethiopia

Directed by Irene Orleansky

(Israel, 2016, 96 min.)

Following a 100-year-old account of the prominent Jewish scholar Jacque Faitlovich and filmmaker Irene Orleansky travel to Africa to discover and explore a small and secretive group of Ethiopian Jews known as Bal Ej, i.e. craftsmen, who disguise themselves as Christians to preserve their land ownership rights (English, Hebrew and Amharic; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Thu., May 18, 6:15 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., May 21, 11:30 a.m.

Beauty and the Beast

Directed by Bill Condon

(U.S., 2017, 129 min.)

Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is a live-action re-telling of the studio's 1991 animated classic, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs.

Angelika Mosaic

Atlantic Plumbing Cinema

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Below Her Mouth

Directed by April Mullen

(Canada, 2016, 94 min.)

An unexpected affair quickly escalates into a heart-stopping reality for two women whose passionate connection changes their lives forever.

Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market

Cabaret

Directed by Bob Fosse

(U.S., 1972, 123 min.)

In decadent 1930s Berlin, impulsive and morally liberal agent provocateur Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) meets the scholarly and handsome Bryan (Michael York), and the two develop an intimate relationship while unknowingly sharing a bisexual lover (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sun., May 21, 7:30 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., May 27, 12:30 p.m.

Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary

Directed by John Scheinfeld

(U.S., 2017, 99 min.)

"Chasing Trane" is the definitive documentary feature about an outside-the-box thinker with extraordinary talent whose boundary-shattering music continues to impact and influence people around the world.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Colossal

Directed by Nacho Vigalondo

(Canada/Spain, 2017, 110 min.)

In this wildly original and darkly comic sci-fi film, Gloria (Anne Hathaway) loses her job and is kicked out of her boyfriend's apartment. After leaving her life in New York and moving back to her home town, news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, South Korea. Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to this far-off phenomenon, and as events begin to spin out of control, she must determine why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world.

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Doing Jewish: A Story from Ghana

Directed by Gabrielle Zilkha

(Canada/Ghana/U.S., 2016, 84 min.)

When Gabrielle Zilkha, a Canadian filmmaker working in Accra, Ghana, gets a call from her mother telling her that she's found Jewish people to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with, Zilkha sets off to find the tiny but vibrant Sefwi Jewish community (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sat., May 20, 12:15 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Mon., May 22, 7 p.m.

The Exception

Directed by David Leveaux

(U.K., 2016, 107 min.)

A riveting World War II thriller filled with espionage and romance in equal measure, "The Exception" follows German soldier Stefan Brandt as he investigates exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II, who lives in a secluded mansion in the Netherlands (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., May 20, 7 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sun., May 21, 8:45 p.m.

Exit: Music

Directed by James Murdoch

(Canada/Germany/Israel/U.S., 2016, 82 min.)

"Exit: Music" examines how anti-Semitism manifested in the music industry and the Third Reich's insidious hijacking of German music for propaganda purposes and the lives of five exile composers (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sun., May 21, 2 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Tue., May 23, 8:45 p.m.

Finding Oscar

Directed by Ryan Suffern

(U.S./Canada/Guatemala, 2017, 100 min.)

In a forgotten massacre during Guatemala's decades-long civil war, a young boy was spared, only to be raised by one of the very soldiers who killed his family. Nearly 30 years after the tragedy, it will take a dedicated team—from a forensic scientist to a young Guatemalan prosecutor—to uncover the truth and bring justice to those responsible — by finding the missing boy named Oscar (English and Spanish).

West End Cinema

Their Finest

Directed by Lone Scherfig

(U.K., 2017, 117 min.)

A British film crew attempts to boost morale during World War II by making a propaganda film after the Blitzkrieg.

AFI Silver Theatre

Angelika Mosaic

Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Free Fire

Directed by Ben Wheatley

(U.K./France, 2017, 90 min.)

Set in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shootout and a game of survival.

Angelika Mosaic

The History of Love

Directed by Radu Mihăileanu

(Canada/France, 2016, 134 min.)

Spanning decades and continents, the film begins in pre-war Poland and follows Leo and Alma, neighbors and sweethearts whose romance is thwarted by the rise of fascism (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

In this incredible true story, British explorer Percy Fawcett journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment, he returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925 (English, Spanish, Portuguese and German).

AFI Silver Theatre

Angelika Mosaic

Atlantic Plumbing Cinema

Love is Thicker than Water

Directed by Ate de Jong and Emily Harris

(U.K., 2016, 105 min.)

Opposites attract when Vida, an urbane Jewish cellist from London, falls in love with Arthur, a working-class bike courier from Wales (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sat., May 20, 3:45 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sun., May 21, 8:15 p.m.

Norman

Directed by Joseph Cedar

(Israel/U.S., 2017, 117 min.)

Norman Oppenheimer is a small-time operator who befriends a young Israeli politician at a low point in his life. Three years later, when the politician becomes an influential world leader, Norman's life dramatically changes for better and worse (English and Hebrew).

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., May 5

Obit

Directed by Vanessa Gould

(U.S., 2016, 93 min.)

This delightfully entertaining documentary takes us behind the scenes in the fascinating world of The New York Times obituary section, where a handful of dedicated writers craft stories celebrating remarkable lives with in-depth historical research and rigorous fact checking, all on a tight deadline.

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., May 12

On the Map

Directed by Dani Menken

(Israel, 2016, 85 min.)

This fast-moving and emotional documentary follows the 1977 Maccabee Tel-Aviv basketball team, a squad that no one believed could win, but which ended up toppling the four-time defending European championship Soviet club (English and Hebrew; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Edlavitch DCJCC

Tue., May 23, 7:15 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Wed., May 24, 6:15 p.m.

Paris Can Wait

(Bonjour Anne)

Directed by Eleanor Coppola

(U.S., 2016, 92 min.)

Anne is at a crossroads in her life. Long married to a successful, driven but inattentive movie producer, she unexpectedly finds herself taking a car trip from Cannes to Paris with a business associate of her husband. What should be a seven-hour drive turns into a carefree two-day adventure replete with diversions that reawaken her lust for life.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., May 19

The Promise

Directed by Terry George

(Spain/U.S., 2017, 132 min.)

Set during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, "The Promise" follows a love triangle between Michael, a brilliant Armenian medical student, the beautiful and sophisticated Ana and Chris, a renowned American photojournalist dedicated to exposing the truth (English, German and French).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

In Search of Israeli Cuisine

Directed by Roger Sherman

(U.S., 2016, 120 min.)

A portrait of the Israeli people told through food, "In Search of Israeli Cuisine" profiles chefs, home cooks, vintners and cheese-makers drawn from the more than 100 cultures — Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Christian, Druze — found in a nation only the size of New Jersey.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Stefan Zweig, Farewell to Europe

Directed by Maria Schrader

(Austria/France/Germany, 2016, 106 min.)

Actress-turned-director Maria Schrader tells the story of Austrian Jewish intellectual Stefan Zweig's exile years in five lyrical chapters, bringing to light the liminal expatriate existence of one of the century's greatest minds (multiple languages; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Tue., May 23, 8:30 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., May 28, 4 p.m.

T2 Trainspotting

Directed by Danny Boyle

(U.K., 2017, 117 min.)

First there was an opportunity — then there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by since the events of "Trainspotting." Much has changed but just as much remains the same as Mark (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home, where his friends and a litany of emotions are waiting for him (English and Bulgarian).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Voice from the Stone

Directed by Eric D. Howell

(U.S./Italy, 2017, 94 min.)

Set in 1950s Tuscany, "Voice from the Stone" is the haunting and suspenseful story of Verena, a solemn nurse drawn to aid a young boy who has fallen silent since the sudden passing of his mother.

Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market

The Wall

Directed by Doug Liman

(U.S., 2017, 81 min.)

Two American soldiers are trapped by a lethal sniper, with only an unsteady wall between them.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., May 12

The Zookeeper's Wife

Directed by Niki Caro

(U.S., 2017, 124 min.)

The keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, help save hundreds of people and animals during the German invasion of World War II.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

West End Cinema

Zuzana: Music Is Life

Directed by Peter Getzels and Harriet Gordon Getzels

(Czech Republic/U.S., 2017, 83 min.)

This is the triumphant story told by Zuzana Ruzickova, 90, and how she became a world-famous harpsichordist in Czechoslovakia, despite three years in concentration camps and 40 years of communist persecution (English and Czech; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sun., May 21, 6:20 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Tue., May 23, 6:15 p.m.

French

Cézanne et Moi

Directed by Danièle Thompson

(France, 2017, 117 min.)

Cézanne et Moi is the compelling and moving chronicle of the surprising lifelong love/hate relationship between two of the creative geniuses of the 19th century, post-impressionist painter Paul Cézanne and novelist Émile Zola. They met as schoolboys in Aix-en-Provence, both outcasts, and became best friends; both sought the bright lights of Paris as young men, living life to the fullest. Rebellion and curiosity, hopes and doubts, girls and dreams of glory — they shared it all; yet rivalry and hurt feelings drove them apart.

West End Cinema

Dad in Training

Directed by Cyril Gelblat

(France, 2015, 98 min.)

Obsessed with producing a hit album, Antoine takes for granted his marriage to Alice, a beautiful, accomplished magistrate and loving mother to their daughters, until she throws him out, files for divorce, and leaves the girls on his doorstep for two weeks! (Part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sat., May 20, 6:30 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Mon., May 22, 8:30 p.m.

Fanny's Journey

Directed by Lola Doillon

(Belgium/France, 2016, 94 min.)

In 1943, 13-year-old Fanny and her younger sisters were sent from their home in France to a foster home for Jewish children in Italy. When the Nazis arrive, their caretakers desperately organize the departure of the children to Switzerland. Suddenly left on their own, these 11 children will do the impossible to reach the Swiss border to survive (closing night of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sun., May 28, 7:15 p.m.

Frantz

Directed by François Ozon

(France/Germany, 2017, 113 min.)

In this intense romantic drama set in the aftermath of World War I, a young German who grieves the death of her fiancé in France meets a mysterious Frenchman who visits the fiancé's grave to lay flowers. While other townsfolk revile him as a murderer of Germans, the dead soldier's parents, at first suspicious, welcome him into their home and treasure his stories about their son. But there are hidden secrets that eventually surface as the relationship deepens.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

A Jew Must Die

Directed by Jacob Berger

(Switzerland, 2016, 73 min.)

Popular myth holds that Switzerland remained an innocent bystander during WWII. Famed writer Jacques Chessex powerfully repudiates this notion when — after a lengthy period of silence — he shares what he witnessed as a young boy (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Thu., May 18, 6:15 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., May 27, 3 p.m.

Paradise

Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky

(Germany/Russia, 2016, 131 min.)

Shot with a classic film elegance in luminous black-and-white, Russia's Oscar submission follows the lives of three souls that intertwine in Nazi Europe: a Russian member of the French resistance arrested for hiding Jews; the French collaborator who entraps her; and an idealistic, if naïve, SS officer assigned to root out corruption in the concentration camps (French, German and Russian; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sat., May 20, 8:30 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Tue., May 23, 7 p.m.

German

The Bloom of Yesterday

Directed by Chris Kraus

(Austria/Germany, 2016, 125 min.)

A self-serious, dour, German Holocaust researcher — and grandson of a prominent Nazi war criminal — is struggling with his family history, career, and a general state of misanthropy. At the height of his personal and professional crisis, he's assigned a new intern who might be his exact opposite (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

AFI Silver Theatre

Wed., May 24, 7 p.m.

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sat., May 27, 8:30 p.m.

Family Commitments

Directed by Hanno Olderdissen

(Germany, 2015, 85 min.)

After two blissful years of dating, David pops the question, and Khaled's answer is an unequivocal yes. Tying the knot proves just a touch challenging, however, courtesy of a homophobic Arab father and a pseudo-orthodox, overbearing Jewish mother, as well as a 19-year-old girl who shows up pregnant, claiming the baby is David (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sat., May 20, 8:45 p.m.

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sat., May 27, 6:30 p.m.

Fog in August

Directed by Kai Wessel

(Austria/Germany, 2016, 126 min.)

A 13-year-old boy who is committed to a mental hospital in 1942 because of his Roma origins (and not due to actual illness) soon discovers the truth behind the hospital's façade and sets about sabotaging its euthanasia program with the help of other patients, at great personal risk (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Thu., May 18, 8:30 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Thu., May 25, 7 p.m.

Greek

Cloudy Sunday

Directed by Manoussos Manoussakis

(Greece, 2016, 118 min.)

A smash box-office hit in Greece, "Cloudy Sunday" tracks a tumultuous wartime romance between a Jewish girl and Christian resistance fighter (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., May 20, 2 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Mon., May 22, 8:15 p.m.

Hebrew

Between Worlds

Directed by Miya Hatav

(Israel, 2016, 84 min.)

Visiting their son in a Jerusalem hospital in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, Orthodox couple Bina and Meir form a surprising bond with Amal, a beautiful young Arab woman seemingly there to attend to her dying father (Hebrew and Arabic; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sat., May 20, 6:15 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sun., May 21, 2:45 p.m.

In Between

Directed by Maysaloun Hamoud

(France/Israel, 2016, 102 min.)

In Maysaloun Hamoud's remarkable feature debut, three Palestinian women sharing an apartment in the vibrant heart of Tel Aviv find themselves in a complicated balancing act between tradition and modernity, citizenship and culture, fealty and freedom (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Wed., May 24, 8:15 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., May 28, 1:45 p.m.

Dimona Twist

Directed by Michal Aviad

(Israel, 2016, 70 min.)

Michal Aviad follows the lives of seven North African and Polish women who arrive by boat in the 1950s and 1960s and are sent straight to Dimona, a newly formed desert town, where they open up about the pain of leaving home, their newfound poverty and the stark adjustment to their new homeland (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sat., May 20, 12 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Thu., May 25, 8:20 p.m.

Forever Pure

Directed by Maya Zinshtein

(Ireland/Israel/Norway/U.K., 2016, 85 min.)

Beitar Jerusalem F.C. is the most popular and controversial soccer team in Israel. Loyal fans take pride in the club's stature as the only Israeli team never to have signed an Arab player, so when owner and Russian-Israeli oligarch Arcadi Gaydamak brings on two Chechen Muslim players in 2012, bedlam breaks loose (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sat., May 20, 6:30 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Tue., May 23, 6:15 p.m.

Harmonia

Directed by Ori Sivan

(Israel, 2016, 98 min.)

This contemporary adaptation of the biblical tale of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar is set in the world of the Jerusalem Philharmonic Orchestra (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Edlavitch DCJCC

Thu., May 18, 7 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., May 20, 9:15 p.m.

The Hourglass Sanatorium

Directed by Wojciech Jerzy Has

(Poland, 1973, 125 min.)

A young man visits his ailing father in a crumbling sanatorium where time collapses and death never comes in this surrealist fantasia where past and present—from the Three Wise Men to the Holocaust—collide in a mind-bending phantasmagoria (Hebrew and Polish; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., May 21, 2:15 p.m.

My Hero Brother

Directed by Yonatan Nir

(Israel, 2016, 77 min.)

A group of remarkable young people with Down syndrome embark on a demanding trip through the Indian Himalayas, accompanied by their brothers and sisters (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sun., May 21, 11:45 a.m.

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sun., May 28, 12:30 p.m.

Past Life

Directed by Avi Nesher

(Israel, 2016, 103 min.)

In 1977 Jerusalem, two sisters, the daughters of Holocaust survivors, investigate a taboo topic: the mystery of their father's survival in Poland during World War II (Hebrew, English, German and Polish; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sat., May 20, 4:15 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Tue., May 23, 8:30 p.m.

People That Are Not Me

Directed by Hadas Ben Aroya

(Israel, 2016, 80 min.)

Hadas Ben Aroya's assured debut feature is a personal tour-de-force that tackles modern romance in all of its technological confusion, forced aloofness, and loveless sexuality (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

May 18, 8:30 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Wed., May 24, 8:30 p.m.

A Quiet Heart

Directed by Eitan Anner

(Israel, 2016, 92 min.)

In present-day Jerusalem where the gulf between the secular and religious communities often seems impossibly large, a secular young woman from Tel Aviv seeks refuge from the pressure of her life as a concert pianist (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Thu., May 18, 8:45 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Thu., May 25, 8:40 p.m.

Thank You for Calling

Directed by Pascal Elbé

(France, 2015, 80 min.)

A brilliant con artist manages to trick employees of large French businesses into stealing money from their companies. Fleeing the law, he finds refuge in Tel Aviv, where he is still addicted to the adrenaline and risk of the grift, leading him to partner with the Israeli mafia (Hebrew and French; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sat., May 20, 12 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Thu., May 25, 8:30 p.m.

The Wonderful Kingdom of Papa Alaev

Directed by Tal Barda and Noam Pinchas

(Israel, 2016, 74 min.)

Meet Tajikistan's answer to the Jackson family. Nearly 80, Allo "Papa" Alaev is a headstrong patriarch who dominates all aspects of his folk music clan's lives—on stage and off (Hebrew, Russian and Tajik; part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Mon., May 22, 6:30 p.m.

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sun., May 28, 5:30 p.m.

The Women's Balcony

Directed by Emil Ben-Shimon

(Israel, 2016, 96 min.)

An accident during a bar mitzvah celebration leads to a gender rift in a devout Orthodox community in Jerusalem in this rousing, gold-hearted tale about women speaking truth to patriarchal power (Washington Jewish Film Festival opening night).

AFI Silver Theatre

Wed., May 17, 7 p.m.

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sat., May 20, 8:15 p.m.

Hungarian

1945

Directed by Ferenc Török

(Hungary, 2017, 91 min.)

It's August 1945 − the war is over, and an uneasy, humid stillness pervades a small Hungarian village longing for a return to normalcy. But when two Holocaust survivors arrive, the town eyes them with immediate suspicion: Are they here to reclaim stolen land? Will they expose the villagers' wartime crimes and complicit silence? (Part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sat., May 20, 2:15 p.m.,

Sat., May 27, 4:40 p.m.

Keep Quiet

Directed by Sam Blair and Joseph Martin

(Hungary/U.K., 2016, 90 min.)

As vice president of Hungary's far-right extremist party, Csanad Szegedi espoused anti-Semitic rhetoric and Holocaust denial. But his life is upended when Szegedi's maternal grandmother is revealed to be Jewish, and an Auschwitz survivor (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sun., May 21, 12:15 p.m.

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sat,. May 27, 4 p.m.

Italian

Let Yourself Go

Directed by Francesco Amato

(Italy, 2016, 99 min.)

Elia is a distinguished psychoanalyst who fits the mold to a tee. He's weary, self-serious, and plainly disdainful of all pursuits except for those of the mind. After a series of health problems, his physician puts him on a strict gym regimen which leads him to Claudia, a personal trainer obsessed with the cult of the body, and his diametrical opposite in just about every way (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Edlavitch DCJCC

Sat., May 20, 6 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Wed., May 24, 8:45 p.m.

Japanese

Killing in Yoshiwara

Directed by Tomu Uchida

(Japan, 1960, 109 min.)

Meticulously recreating the Edo-period pleasure quarters that were Utamaro's playground, "Killing in Yoshiwara" tells the story of a scheming servant girl who exploits the money and attention of a wealthy but hideous silk merchant in order to rise through the cutthroat geisha social hierarchy.

National Museum of American History

Sat., May 20, 2 p.m.

Story of the Last Chrysanthemum

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi

(Japan, 1939, 143 min.)

The story of a kabuki actor who sacrifices everything for the love of a servant girl, the film movingly expresses two of Mizoguchi's (and Utamaro's) favorite themes: the tension between art and life and the plight of women in Japanese society.

National Museum of American History

Sun., May 21, 2 p.m.

Utamaro and His Five Women

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi

(Japan, 1946, 106 min.)

Utamaro was a fitting subject for famed Japanese filmmaker Kenji Mizoguchi. Like Utamaro, Mizoguchi worked in an entertainment industry controlled by businessmen, tested the limits of strict censorship, enjoyed the company of courtesans and was famous for his depictions of women.

National Museum of American History

Sun., May 14, 2 p.m.

Your Name

(Kimi no na wa)

Directed by Makoto Shinkai

(Japan, 2017, 106 min.)

Mitsuha is the daughter of the mayor of a small mountain town. She's a straightforward high school girl who has no qualms about letting it be known that she's uninterested in Shinto rituals or helping her father's electoral campaign. Instead she dreams of leaving the boring town and trying her luck in Tokyo. Taki is a high school boy in Tokyo who works part-time in an Italian restaurant and every night has a strange dream where he becomes ... a high school girl in a small mountain town (Japanese and Mandarin).

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Polish

Angry Harvest

Directed by Agnieszka Holland (Poland, 1985, 105 min.)

This remarkable Academy Award-nominated film tells a compelling story of love and desire during World War II. Middle-aged, lonely farmer Leon rescues Rosa, a young upper-class Jewish refugee, as she is fleeing the Nazis. While he nurses her back to health, their relationship gradually grows more intimate, but disintegrates into a cat-and-mouse power struggle as Leon’s mixed motives for hiding Rosa emerge (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival; WJFF Visionary Award).

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., May 27, 7 p.m.

Romanian

Graduation

(Bacalaureat)

Directed by Cristian Mungiu

(Romania/France/Belgium, 2016, 128 min.)

Romeo is a seemingly honest doctor who regrets having settled in his native Romania, a country still teeming with corruption and back dealings. He channels his ambitions for a better life into his teenage daughter, Eliza, who's just one exam away from securing a scholarship to a prestigious British university. But when Eliza is attacked on the eve of her test, endangering her ability to pass, Romeo takes matters into his own hands to ensure her success.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sacred Hearts

Directed by Radu Jude

(Germany/Romania, 2016, 141 min.)

During the summer of 1937—as Romania rapidly descends into a far-right society—a man in his early 20s develops bone tuberculosis, and is committed to a sanatorium on the Black Sea coast. Despite being confined to a hospital stretcher bed, he continues to read, smoke, drink and even flirt (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Thu., May 18, 8 p.m.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., May 28, 6:15 p.m.

Russian

Solaris

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

(U.S.S.R., 1972, 167 min.)

When cosmonaut/psychologist Kris Kelvin is sent to investigate the mysterious death of a doctor onboard a space station orbiting the planet Solaris, he initially believes the remaining crew to have lost their minds. Then, he begins to experience strange apparitions of his own, encountering his seven-years-dead wife.

AFI Silver Theatre

May 26 to 30

Silent

Metropolis

Directed by Fritz Lang

(Germany, 1927, 148 min.)

Incorporating more than 25 minutes of recently discovered footage, the 2010 restoration of "Metropolis" is the definitive edition of Fritz Lang's science-fiction masterpiece. In a fabulous city of the future, penthouse-dwelling capitalist bureaucrats hold sway over a subterranean working class, but a prophet from the masses foresees the coming of a new world order.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., May 6, 1 p.m.

Spanish

2 Filhos de Francisco

Directed by Breno Silveira

(Brazil, 2005, 129 min.)

This uplifting account chronicles the lives of Brazil's famous country singers Zezé de Camargo e Luciano, two of nine children by a farmer from the countryside who began their careers by playing at fairs in their village (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of Uruguay

Mon., May 15, 5:30 p.m.

Bailando con Margot

Directed by Arturo Santana

(Cuba, 2015, 105 min.)

On Dec. 31, 1958, a detective is investigating the theft of a painting in the house of a wealthy widow of Havana. The relationship between the two of them reveals the story behind the house and the family, while the presence of bearded rebels in the city changes everyone's destiny (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of Venezuela

Tue., May 9, 6:30 p.m.

El Porton de los Sueños

(The Gate of Dreams, Augusto Roa Bastos' Life and Literature)

Directed by Hugo Gamarra

(Paraguay, 1998, 87 min.)

Paraguayan writer Augusto Roa Bastos returns from exile and travels to Iturbe, the rural town where he lived his childhood, to the locations of his fictional stories, searching for the memories, landscapes and characters that populate the pages of his books (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Former Residence of the Spanish Ambassador

Thu., May 10, 6:30 p.m.

Flor de Azucar

(Sugar Fields)

Directed by Fernando Baez

(Dominican Republic, 2016, 110 min.)

In 1949 Dominican Republic, the life of two peasant couples, one Dominican and Haitian, intertwine in the sugar fields. Samuel, a Dominican peasant of firm principles, faces the injustice of Trujillo's dictatorship and is forced to flee and hide in a remote Caribbean island, leaving behind his wife and daughters (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of the Dominican Republic

Wed., May 3, 6 p.m.

Gente en Sitios

(People in Places)

Directed by Juan Cavestany

(Spain, 2013, 83 min.)

Described by one critic as a combination of Luis Buñuel and Joe Swanberg, this ultra-independent, micro-budget film is a plotless series of surreal, absurdist sketches: a housewife has a face transplant; considerate burglars tidy up the house they have robbed; a waiter turns a simple order into a Tolstoy-size manuscript; a father picking up his son from school gets trapped in a no-exit news program, etc. (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Former Residence of the Spanish Ambassador

Thu., May 4, 6:30 p.m.

Malacrianza

Directed by Arturo Menendez

(El Salvador, 2014, 70 min.)

The Crow's Nest follows Don Cleo, a humble piñata salesman who receives an extortion letter at his doorstep. If he doesn't pay $500, a small fortune for him, within 72 hours, he will be killed (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of El Salvador

Mon., May 16, 6 p.m.

Onix

Directed by Nicolás Teté

(Argentina, 2015, 77 p.m.)

Martina travels with her mother to Villa Mercedes, the city where their relatives live. After 12 years of estrangement, she meets with her cousins for the first time since childhood and a tragedy forces them to come together as a family again killed (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of Argentina

Wed., May 17, 6:30 p.m.

Otros Cuatro Litros

Directed by Rodolfo Espinosa

(Guatemala, 2014, 95 min.)

Three friends in their 30s decide to embark on a trip to Lake Atitlán to fulfill the last wish of their recently deceased childhood friend by throwing his ashes to the lake and drink the last four liters in his name (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of Guatemala

Tue., May 2, 6:30 p.m.

Patas Arriba

(Upside Down)

Directed by Alejandro Garcia Wiedemann

(Venezuela, 2011, 93 min.)

Renato, who knows that his time is running out, teaches his 6-year-old granddaughter the value of friendship and respect towards other people's views. His daughters have decided to send him to a hospital against his will, but with his granddaughter's help, he plans to escape and sail from Venezuela to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil, as he once promised his deceased wife (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of Venezuela

Thu., May 11, 6:30 p.m.

A Place in the Caribbean

Directed by Juan Carlos Fanconi

(Honduras, 2017, 114 min.)

Gael travels to the Island of Roatan to finish his last novel and finds love at first sight. Sofia and her father missed their cruise and are forced to stay in the wonderful island. Three love stories abound in this magical place (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of Honduras (Consulate)

Fri., May 19, 4 p.m.

Primera Dama de la Revolución

(First Lady of the Revolution)

Directed by Andrea Kalin

(Costa Rica, 2016, 71 min.)

While visiting an aunt and uncle in the exotic countryside of Costa Rica, a young southern belle from Alabama accepted a ride on the back of a motorcycle belonging to a local charismatic farmer — a ride that would propel her down narrow mountain roads and into history (part of the Ibero-American Film Showcase; rsvp to
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).

Embassy of Argentina

Wed., May 18, 6 p.m.

Subte-Polska

Directed by Alejandro Magnone

(Argentina, 2015, 99 min.)

Tadeusz has lived many lives: as a young Polish émigré to Argentina; a brigadier in the Spanish Civil War; and a construction worker building Buenos Aires' subway system. Now 90 and eager to shed his meds-induced sluggishness, he abruptly cuts short his pills regimen and hits the road in search of former lovers, friends, and the faint residue of his youthful vigor (part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival).

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sat., May 20, 6:30 p.m.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Sun., May 21, 3:45 p.m.

Turkish

Kedi

Directed by Ceyda Torun

(Turkey/U.S., 2017, 79 min.)

Hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they've wandered in and out of people's lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, the cats of Istanbul live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame — and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt.

West End Cinema

Events - May 2017

EVENT CATEGORIES

Events Highlight

Over 100 Embassies Open Doors for Passport 2017

Cultural Tourism DC's annual Passport DC international showcase celebrates its 10th anniversary this May with a record-breaking lineup of over 100 embassy open houses, in addition to various street festivals and performing arts throughout the city.

"When embassies open their doors, visitors can expect to encounter the art, music, crafts, cuisine, geography and the manufacturing prowess of the participating countries," said Steven E. Shulman, executive director of Cultural Tourism DC. "The embassies want to express that their countries are attractive places to visit and do business, and in our 10th year, more countries than ever are participating."

On May 6, dozens of embassies from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe will participate in the Around the World Embassy Tour. Then on May 13, the European Union features its annual A Shortcut to Europe, with open houses at the missions of the EU's 28 member states.

The popular annual series of events, which regularly draw tens of thousands of visitors, is an international feast for the senses. Embassy recruitment for this year's Passport DC began in early 2017, with Brazil, a perennial favorite among attendees, being the first country to register. The delegation will present a day-long program of music and colorfully costumed dancers at the stately Brazilian ambassador's residence. The sounds of Botswana will fill the air around Dupont Circle as its embassy presents a showcase of music, live art and traditional cuisine, while nearby, on Massachusetts Avenue, the Embassy of Peru plans to have live alpacas in the yard, along with native dancers and a taste of Peruvian drinks and gastronomy.

Other Passport signature events include: A Celebration of Global Fashion with clothing from over a dozen nations at Macy's Metro Center (April 26); Flower Mart at the National Cathedral (May 5-6); National Asian Heritage Festival Fiesta Asia Street Fair (May 20); and the Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (May 24).

For more information, visit http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/portal/passport-dc1.

— Anna Gawel

ART

Through May 5

Forgotten Corners with Artist Iurro

"Forgotten Corners" is about the places that we pass every day, but rarely stop and take time to look at them. These can be, for example, alleys in downtown D.C. and New York City or small villages we pass through to larger towns and cities in the Czech Republic. Often, these places are not even interesting during the day. However, at night, they become romantic, even mysterious.

Embassy of the Czech Republic

May 5 to 31

Integrated: Korean Clay and Paper Heritage in Contemporary American Art

"Integrated" spotlights six American artists whose deep inspiration from Korean history and culture helps integrate elements of East and West in their art. Three of the artists work with hanji (durable, fibrous Korean traditional paper made from mulberry tree bark) and three with earthenware ceramics. All have devoted themselves to understanding the culture and history of traditional Korean paper and clay respectively, in order create their own modern expression of American identity and cultural heritage based on their experiences with Korea.

Korean Cultural Center

Through May 13

Bordes/Borders

This contemporary video exhibit curated by Othón Castañeda features nine short films with borders as their main concept. The works were among a number of films submitted by international artists to the Bienal de las Fronteras, an artistic initiative that offers a platform to emerging artists of diverse backgrounds. This selection questions the boundaries of the biennial itself, including participating artists that establish an alternative view of the border, this time "from the inside out."

Mexican Cultural Institute

May 13 to Feb. 17

Painting Shakespeare

Discover the paintings collection at the Folger — its stories, its glories and Shakespeare's power to inspire visual artists. From humble oil sketches to international masterpieces, this exhibition presents kids and adults alike, with a sometimes surprising, and always eye-catching, view of the man and his works.

Folger Shakespeare Library

Through May 14

Border Crossing: Jami Porter Lara

While visiting a remote area along the U.S.–Mexico border, Albuquerque-based artist Jami Porter Lara found the remains of ancient pottery as well as plastic bottles discarded by migrants moving through the region. Intrigued by this juxtaposition, she began to reconceptualize the plastic bottle.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through May 14

New Ground: The Southwest of Maria Martinez and Laura Gilpin

Contemporaries and friends, potter Maria Martinez (ca. 1887–1980) and photographer Laura Gilpin (1891–1979) brought the American Southwest into focus as a culturally rich region that fostered artistic expression. Martinez's bold adaptation of an ancient black-on-black pottery design technique reflected Pueblo artistic traditions and also appealed to the modernist sensibility. Gilpin was one of the first women to capture the landscape and peoples of the American West on film.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through May 14

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors

"Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors" is a celebration of the legendary Japanese artist's 65-year career and promises to be one of 2017's essential art experiences. Visitors will have the unprecedented opportunity to discover six of Kusama's captivating Infinity Mirror Rooms alongside a selection of her other key works, including a number of paintings from her most recent series "My Eternal Soul" that have never been shown in the U.S.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

May 21 to Aug. 20

America Collects Eighteenth-Century French Painting

When Joseph Bonaparte, elder brother of Napoleon, arrived in the United States in 1815, he brought with him his exquisite collection of eighteenth-century French paintings. Put on public view, the works caused a sensation, and a new American taste for French art was born. T his exhibition brings together 68 paintings that represent some of the best and most unusual examples of French art of that era held by American museums and tells their stories on a national stage.

National Gallery of Art

May 24

Markus Lüpertz: Threads of History

Offering unparalleled insight into the German artist's pioneering early practice, "Markus Lüpertz: Threads of History" showcases more than 30 paintings from Lüpertz's formative years in the 1960s and '70s, as he challenged the limits of painting and forged his own style amidst the unrest of postwar Germany.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Through May 26

Designing Paraguay: Emerging Artists from the Heart of South America

"Designing Paraguay" highlights emerging talent that is lighting the way for future innovations in the creative industries. As Paraguay looks ahead, it is moving away from an agricultural and industrial economy toward a more competitive global, knowledge-based economy. One such area of growth is the cultural and creative industries, which drive innovation and contribute to economic diversification. This exhibit showcases Paraguayan innovation across a variety of disciplines, which represent a shift away from traditional craft, but also a recognition of the importance of local knowledge and culture.

Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center

May 27 to Sept. 23

Markus Lüpertz

"Markus Lüpertz" explores the entirety of the prolific German artist's five-decade career with a survey of his earliest works along with more recent paintings. Lüpertz, who began painting in a postwar Germany dominated by American Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, has exhibited a preoccupation with the relationship between figuration and abstraction over the course of his career. Demonstrating this relationship through nearly 50 paintings, the exhibition at the Phillips includes important examples from Lüpertz's "dithyrambic" pictures and provocative paintings of German motifs. The opening of the exhibition also comes just a few days after the Phillips's Annual Gala and Contemporaries Bash on May 19. Both events will honor the museum's longstanding relationship with the Embassy of the Republic of Germany and celebrate artistic and cultural exchange between the United States and Germany.

The Phillips Collection

Through May 28

Green Machine: The Art of Carlos Luna

Cuban artist Carlos Luna's exhibit features more than 65 works, with some created in new media the artist has been experimenting with during the past four years, including Jacquard tapestries, works on metal sheets with patina and aluminum leaf, and layers of natural materials rubbed into strong, thick, dense, smooth and un-sized French paper.

American University Museum

Through May 31

El Vuelo y su Semilla

This exhibition of works by renowned Mexican artist Bestabeé Romero (Mexico City, 1963) is comprised of installation pieces and reflects on the identity and culture that Mexican immigrants carry with them. Romero's works explore these phenomena through symbolic objects, such as papel picado and tires, and culinary components, like bread and corn, underscoring the role that eating and cooking play in the formation and transformation of Mexican identity. The result is a body of work that places Mexican culture as a fundamental part of the migrant journey from Mexico to the U.S.

Mexican Cultural Institute

Through June 2

From the Desk of Simone de Beauvoir

Consider the influence and intellect of feminist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir in an interpretation of her Paris studio alcove. This installation invites visitors to reflect on Beauvoir's impact, not only in her time and not only as a feminist, but in our own time and in the areas of literature, philosophy and popular culture.

"Alternativas/Alternatives" features 22 jury-selected projects completed between Jan. 1, 2013 through Dec. 31, 2015 by contemporary Spanish architects. The installation, which also includes an additional 20 shortlisted works, presents large-scale image displays and audiovisual commentary about the winning projects, as well as drawing reproductions and architectural models.

Former Residence of the Spanish Ambassador

Through June 4

Export: Spanish Architecture Abroad

"Export" covers Spanish architecture abroad from an open perspective that takes into account practices organized by profiles (Insiders, Young Achievers, Producers, Scholars, Healers and Outsiders), as well as the role of other agents (Soft Power, Giants of Construction, Publishing and Retail Empire), which help us gain a richer and more plural vision of the sector and serve as the structure for the exhibition discourse.

Former Residence of the Spanish Ambassador

Through June 4

Della Robbia: Sculpting with Color in Renaissance Florence

Luca della Robbia, a master sculptor in marble and bronze, invented a glazing technique for terracotta sculpture that positioned him as one of the most innovative artists of the 15th century. Today, the sculptures created by Luca and his family workshop retain their brilliant opaque whites, deep cerulean blues, and botanical greens, purples and yellows over modeling that makes them powerful and engaging examples of Italian Renaissance art.

National Gallery of Art

Through June 4

Where the Children Sleep

More than 2 million children have been forced from their homes by the war in Syria. Refugee children in neighboring countries or making journeys through Europe await an uncertain future. A few offered to show where they sleep now, when everything that once was, no longer exists, in this internationally acclaimed exhibition that features a moving series of photographs by award-winning Swedish photojournalist Magnus Wennman.

House of Sweden

Through June 11

Friends and Fashion: An American Diplomat in 1820s Russia

Focusing on 45 portraits from an album assembled by the family of politician and statesman Henry Middleton, this exhibition paints a captivating picture of diplomatic life in early 19th-century St. Petersburg. The intimate portraits, along with selected objects, images and publications, offer an exploration into a number of themes, including Middleton's posting in St. Petersburg and the historical events surrounding his time there, the family's social life in Russia, the artistic traditions of the period, and the elaborate fashions and hairstyles of the day.

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens

Through July 9

Frédéric Bazille and the Birth of Impressionism

Frédéric Bazille (1841-70) created paintings inspired by contemporary life that challenged the aesthetic conventions of his day and helped to lay the groundwork of impressionism. In celebration of the 175th anniversary of the artist's birth, this exhibit brings together some 75 paintings that examine Bazille as a central figure of impressionism.

National Gallery of Art

Through July 9

Inventing Utamaro: A Japanese Masterpiece Rediscovered

In 2014, the Okada Museum of Art in Hakone, Japan, made an announcement that startled the art world. The new arts center revealed it had discovered a long-lost painting by Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), a legendary but mysterious Japanese artist. Titled "Snow at Fukagawa," the immense work is one of three paintings by Utamaro that idealize famous pleasure districts in Edo (now Tokyo). For the first time in nearly 140 years, these paintings reunite in Inventing Utamaro at the Freer|Sackler, the only location to show all three original pieces.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Through July 24

Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Flair

For 50 years, the Ebony Fashion Fair shaped a new vision of black America through contemporary fashion. Founded by Eunice Walker Johnson in 1958, the traveling fashion show broke the color barrier to bring the pinnacle of global fashion to communities that were eager to celebrate black accomplishment, aspiration and success. The George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum present the story of the Ebony Fashion Fair and its cultural impact with 40 garments, including stunning gowns, feathered coats and statement designs by Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood and burgeoning designer Naeem Khan, who would go on to dress first lady Michelle Obama.

The George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum

Through July 30

Punctured Landscape

The Organization of American States (OAS) AMA | Art Museum of the Americas in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the OAS presents its largest exhibition by Canadian artists: "Punctured Landscape," organized by the Canada Council for the Arts. The exhibition marks Canada's 150th anniversary of confederation, presenting artworks that explore themes of democracy, human rights, sustainability, security and national historical narratives in Canada. These moments range from celebratory milestones to difficult moments in Canada's history, with particular attention paid to indigenous issues. "Punctured Landscape" recognizes Canada as an inclusive, multicultural nation that welcomes migrants and refugees, but also grapples to reconcile its own relationship with its indigenous peoples."

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

Through Aug. 6

The Urban Scene: 1920-1950

American artists of the early 20th century sought to interpret the beauty, power, and anxiety of the modern age in diverse ways. Through depictions of bustling city crowds and breathtaking metropolitan vistas, 25 black-and-white prints in this exhibition explore the spectacle of urban modernity.

National Gallery of Art

Through Aug. 6

José Gómez-Sicre's Eye

A half-century ago, Cuban-born curator José Gómez-Sicre took the reins of the OAS's art program, thrusting himself into the rapidly expanding Latin American art world and bringing young, emerging talent to the OAS's budding exhibition space. Impassioned by the arts, Gómez-Sicre planted the seeds of what is today considered among world's finest collections of modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art. The OAS will be celebrating the centennial of Gómez-Sicre's birth throughout 2016, honoring his contribution to the legacy of the hemisphere's art.

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

Through Aug. 13

Escape: Foon Sham

"Escape" showcases Foon Sham's mastery of wood sculpture. To be within one of his vessel sculptures is to experience the palpable space of a woodland creature's habitat, or the place of concealment. At the American University Museum, Sham has built one horizontal tunnel measuring 62 feet long and one vertical tunnel towering 36 feet high. "Escape" is one of a series of participatory sculptures, begun in the 1990s, meant to be experienced with all the body's senses and to resonate socially.

American University Museum

Through Dec. 10

Stories of Migration – Sweden Beyond the Headlines

Migration is old news. It has helped shape countries and the world. But the current situation is unprecedented: More than 65 million people around the world have been forced to leave their homes. Migration is also an integral part of the history of Sweden; in today's population, one in six was born in another country. Since the 1930s Sweden has been characterized by more immigration than emigration, including offering refuge to people fleeing war and political unrest. This exhibition aims to add new perspectives to the story of Sweden and migration and give insights into the current situation in the country. Beyond headlines of chaos and collapse, beyond politics and public authorities, there are people who try to build a life in a new country.

House of Sweden

Through Jan. 15, 2018

Architecture of an Asylum: St. Elizabeths 1852-2017

Established by Congress in 1855 as the Government Hospital for the Insane, St. Elizabeths is widely considered a pioneering psychiatric facility. The hospital is a prime example of the "Kirkbride Plan" for mental health hospitals, which promised to help patients with a specialized architecture and landscape. This exhibition traces St. Elizabeths' evolution over time, reflecting shifting theories about how to care for the mentally ill, as well as the later reconfiguration of the campus as a federal workplace and a mixed-use urban development.

National Building Museum

DANCE

May 25 to 27

The Washington Ballet: Frontier

The Washington Ballet presents the world premiere of Ethan Stiefel's "Frontier," a ballet inspired by President Kennedy and his space travel aspirations for America. The ballet employs an authenticity as it investigates space exploration through the perspective of the astronaut, delving into the emotional and physical rigors required for space travel. Tickets are $25 to $130.

Kennedy Center Opera House

DISCUSSIONS

Thu., May 4, 6 p.m.

Prague Functionalism: Tradition and Contemporary Echoes

The American Institute of Architects, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Jaroslav Frágner Gallery Prague, present the opening of the exhibition "Prague Functionalism: Tradition and Contemporary Echoes," featuring the lecture "Prague Modern Architecture 1900-1950: From Art Nouveau and Cubism to Avant Garde" by art historian Zdeněk Lukeš. To RSVP, visit https://praguefunctionalism.eventbrite.com.

The American Institute of Architects

Mon., May 8, 7 p.m.

Last Hope Island Book Talk

New York Times bestselling author Lynne Olson will discuss her new book "Last Hope Island," a groundbreaking account of how Britain became the base of operations for the exiled leaders of Europe, including the Polish government-in-exile, in their desperate struggle to reclaim their continent from Hitler. For information, visit www.waszyngton.msz.gov.pl/en/.

Embassy of Poland

Tue., May 9, 6:45 p.m.

Constructing the Public Realm

Spanish architect Iñaki Alday of the University of Virginia and Kelly Shannon of the University of Southern California talk about the singularity of Spanish architecture in the integration of architecture, public space, urban planning and landscape architecture. Admission is free but RSVP is required; for more information, visit www.spainculture.us/city/washington-dc/.

Former Spanish Ambassador's Residence

FOOD & DRINK

Mon., May 1, 5:30 p.m.

Mezcal: Mexico in a Bottle, the biggest mezcal tasting in the United States, makes its D.C. debut, combining music, art, food and the divine elixir. The event will include more than 15 mezcal brands, bites, cocktail sips from local bars and restaurants, handcrafted artisan goods, music and luminaries from across the mezcal world. Tickets are $50.

Mexican Cultural Institute

May 10 to 13

Heart's Delight Wine Tasting and Auction

Over the past 17 years, the Heart's Delight wine extravaganza has raised more than $15 million for the American Heart Association to fight stroke and heart disease. Events include the Congress Has Heart Reception showcasing top American wines (May 10); the Embassy and Winemaker Dinner Series featuring intimate dinners at foreign missions (May 11); the Vintners Dinner and Auction at Andrew Mellon Auditorium (May 12); and the Bordeaux Master Class and Grand Tasting at the Ritz-Carlton (May 13). For information, visit http://heartsdelightwineauction.org.

Various locations

MUSIC

Sun., May 14, 5 p.m.

Carmina Burana and Oedipus Rex

At the end of his 10th and final season, the Washington Chorus will pull out all the stops to honor Julian Wachner in his final concert as music director. The Chorus will perform Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" and Igor Stravinsky's "Oedipus Rex," with special guest narrator Ari Shapiro of NPR. Three guest choirs and D.C. institutions join the performance: Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, Children's Chorus of Washington and the Washington National Cathedral Boy and Girl Choristers. Tickets are $18 to $72.

Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Sat., May 20, 4:30 p.m.

Ustad Dilshad Ensemble

Ustad Dilshad Hussain Khan is an international violinist, composer and musicologist. The Pakistani-American citizen comes from seven generations of musicians and has studied and traveled worldwide, playing a distinct blend of Western and Eastern sounds, along with classical, jazz, blues, country and fusion music. Tickets are $80, including buffet. For information, visit www.embassyseries.org.

Embassy of Pakistan

Wed., May 24, 7:30 p.m.

David Six: Solo Piano – Between the Stations

"Between the Stations" is what Austrian pianist David Six calls his new project, which consists of compositions written on the road. The idea is simple: At every recital, he presents one new piano piece that has been inspired by and written at the very same place: music written in hotel rooms or at train stations, on planes or simply on stage. Admission is free; for information, visit acfdc.org.

Embassy of Austria

THEATER

May 6 to 21

Washington National Opera: Madame Butterfly

In this eye-popping staging of Puccini’s immortal tragedy, a dashing American naval officer chooses a naïve young geisha to be his bride, only to betray her--leading to one of the most devastating and legendary final scenes in all of opera. Tickets are $25 to $300.

Kennedy Center Opera House

Through May 7

A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” follows the Younger family yearning for a better life far from the cramped confines of their Chicago tenement. Hope arrives in the form of an unexpected financial windfall, but when they realize they have differing definitions of the American dream, which dreams get realized and which deferred? Tickets are $40 to $90.

Arena Stage

May 9 to June 11

Timon of Athens

Robert Richmond directs Shakespeare’s tragic satire about a wealthy aristocrat who loses his fortune and his friends due to his over-generosity. An exploration of materialism, money and friendship, “Timon of Athens” features Helen Hayes Award-winner Ian Merrill Peakesin the title role. Tickets are $35 to $75.

Folger Shakespeare Theatre

Through May 21

Smart People

Four intellectuals — a doctor, an actress, a psychologist and a neurobiologist studying the human brain’s response to race — search for love, acceptance and identity set against the backdrop of Barack Obama’s 2008 election. Tickets are $40 to $90.

Arena Stage

Through May 20

Ragtime

Based on E.L. Doctorow’s celebrated 1975 novel, the Tony Award-winning musical “Ragtime” confronts both the unbridled optimism and the stark reality of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When the lives of a wealthy white family, a daring Harlem musician and a determined Jewish immigrant intersect, their fates are inextricably bound and profoundly changed. Tickets are $20 to $73.

Ford’s Theatre

Through May 21

In the Heights

This spirited musical by the creator of “Hamilton”tells a story of the love, hopes and heartbreaks of a tightly knit multicultural community on the brink of change in New York’s Washington Heights. Teeming with vivid neighborhood characters such as the romantically skittish bodega owner, attractive beautician, wise grandmother, and a young student and her culturally different boyfriend, the stage will sizzle with the urban energy of hip hop, salsa and merengue. Tickets are $60.

GALA Hispanic Theatre

Through May 28

Macbeth

At a time when equivocation and the perils of power dominate the news and divide the nation, Liesl Tommy’s up-to-the-minute production will explore political themes that reverberate here in America and around the world. Though not always thought of as a political play, Shakespeare’s study of power and its abuses and insecurities is as relevant today as when it was written in response to the Gunpowder Plot in 1606. Please call for ticket information.

Shakespeare Theatre Company

May 30 to July 2

The School for Lies

“The School for Lies” transforms Molière's 17th-century classic “The Misanthrope” into a modern satire crafted in vicious couplets and outrageous gags, creating a baroque comedy of manners brimming with contemporary slang. Please call for ticket information.